Customer Reviews

Deep Black: Space Espionage and National Security

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There are very few books that define a genre - Mr. William Burrow's, "Deep Black" is one of those amazing 'trend setting' books that will always remain a classic. Being one of the earliest books that mention surveillance and reconnaissance satellites, "Deep Black" scared the pants off of most involved in the black world of space. Many books have followed in the two decades since Deep Black - even so, this is worth a place on your bookshelf.

The book is very outdated (publication date: 1986), however, it has tremendous use as a history book of the technological and political systems at play during the 1950s to the mid-1980s. These tales form the basis of most introductory chapters of the slew of Discoverer/CORONA books that hit the shelves in the 1990s. Mr. Burrows has done a great job piercing through the veil of secrecy surrounding these systems. There may be various errors in fact from certain satellite systems or flights, but due to the heavy secrecy *STILL* surrounding those systems, he's done exceptional work.

**Certified Space Professional Specific**: if you are a CSP, GET THIS BOOK. You might be working on the replacements for most of these systems, and a good foundation into the history of these satellites and the politics surrounding their inception will help you get an edge over your 'less-motivated' peers.

Simply the definitive book on US intelligence-gathering from air-vehicles, space-borne platforms and sub-surface systems. Burroughs work is thorough and informative. Though now dated by more than a decade's worth of technological improvements, the basics of intelligence and counter-intelligence systems are well-covered here. The sections on aircraft (RC-135, U-2, TR-1, A-12, SR-71) and satellites are simply fascinating.

GREAT photo section in the middle of the book, with pictures of the Russians' Black Com 2 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier under construction (KH-11 pic), a nice pic of an SR-71 in flight, an F-15 launching an ASAT weapon (30,000mph terminal speed!) and much more.

It's a shame this book is out-of-print. It would be nice to see a limited production run, perhaps a new edition. Mr. Burroughs, how about "Deep Black 2, The Next Generation"?

I have been fortunate enough to collect several hardcover editions of this book, including "like new" copies. I prefer the larger hardcover, but I miss my paperback copy which has disappeared. These are becoming collector's items, so if you find a decent copy at a good price, grab it!!! (I have several copies in my collection!!!)

This book, like most others, can be found in both the paperback and hardcover edition. I had the paperback first, but now prefer the hardcover edition. It does seem like the paperback is harder to find though.

This book gives an in-depth look at air borne surveillance starting with the planes and cameras of WW II and ends with the techno-marvels that are flying today. It should appeal not only to the high-tech crowd, but also to students of recent history, for it describes how the knowledge collected by planes and satellites influenced the course of political events. Deep Black is a wonderful blend of technology and history and is very well written

Simply the definitive book on US intelligence-gathering from air-vehicles, space-borne platforms and sub-surface systems. Burroughs work is thorough and informative. Though now dated by more than a decade's worth of technological improvements, the basics of intelligence and counter-intelligence systems are well-covered here. The sections on aircraft (RC-135, U-2, TR-1, A-12, SR-71) and satellites are simply fascinating.

It's a shame this book is out-of-print. It would be nice to see a limited production run, perhaps a new edition. Mr. Burroughs, how about "Deep Black 2, The Next Generation"?

Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down. Being a fan of the fiction of Tom Clancy it's awesome to read about the reality of spies and their technology. What I thought was going to be a dull history lesson turned out to be a very well written and detailed account of some fascinating programs. It's really given me a new perspective on the world. I would recommend Deep Black to anyone who is interested in spy technology.

As other reviewers have noted, this is probably the single best reference on space-based reconnaissance and espionage ever published. The biggest flaw, for today's readers, is that it's now over 25 years old, and there's been an explosion in reconnaissance technology since it was published- we're now in the age of stealth, drones and computing technology that can increase the resolution of photos taken thorugh the distortions of the atmosphere by an order of magnitude. Also missing- through no fault of the author's- is the revelations made public after the fall of the USSR in 1991. For a brief period Western researchers were given full access to projects like the Soviet military space stations (which were armed with 23mm automatic cannon), and the Soviet Almaz radar satellites.

This is nonetheless an excellent reference on the history of aerial reconnaissance from its beginnings in the balloon age to just before the end of the cold war. It's exciting reading, too. A must-have for all aerospace fans. (Readers looking for a more recent update might check out Secret Projects: Military Space Technology by Bill Rose.)

This book is about cutting edge technologies used to surveill from outer space, fight from the ground, and attack from the air. The delineation of the research on SDI / Star Wars Defense and related technologies. Certainly eye-opening to anyone who reads it. I bought my paperback copy around 1989 and I have yet to find another book or author that can compete with the amount of information revealed by the author in this book. An excellent piece of research and nonfiction. Mr. Burrows write a part 2.

Simply the definitive book on US intelligence-gathering from air-vehicles, space-borne platforms and sub-surface systems. Burroughs work is thorough and informative. Though now dated by more than a decade's worth of technological improvements, the basics of intelligence and counter-intelligence systems are well-covered here. The sections on aircraft (RC-135, U-2, TR-1, A-12, SR-71) and satellites are simply fascinating.

It's a shame this book is out-of-print. It would be nice to see a limited production run, perhaps a new edition. Mr. Burroughs, how about "Deep Black 2, The Next Generation"?

A nearly perfect accounting of the development and growth of our advanced intelligence gathering capabilities after the 2nd world war, so accurate it could certainly pass for history. The only thing missing is the follow up to bridge the gap between it's end and our present day "toys".

Do you really want to know what the U.S. Goverment does behind closed doors ? How many nations do we have our fingers in ?? Answer: ALL OF THEM. A book that will give you nightmares and insite. Not for the faint of heart.